


A New Beginning

by JewishDavidJacobs



Series: A New Beginning [1]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Era, Darcy is done with her, Davey is a great big ball of stress just trying to hold it together, F/M, First Kiss, It happens a ridiculous amount, Jack gets punched in the face, Katherine can’t stop thinking about Davey, Katherine has a crush, They're always yelling each other's names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:13:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24494836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JewishDavidJacobs/pseuds/JewishDavidJacobs
Summary: “Katherine? What’s the matter?”“Nothing, I just…” She took a moment to look at him and realized that what she was doing was unfair and selfish. So much was going on right now that he didn’t have the time to think about her. Christ, he was suddenly responsible for feeding his family and co-organizing a strike. And even assuming that he was interested in Katherine, this wasn’t the time for her to have this discussion with him. “Nothing.”Or: Katherine likes Davey, not Jack.
Relationships: David Jacobs/Katherine Plumber
Series: A New Beginning [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769605
Comments: 14
Kudos: 25





	A New Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is the first installment of a series about Katherine and Davey. I have several different ships for both of them but I really wanted to explore their relationship. I hope you enjoy it!

Katherine watched as Davey attempted to control the boys at the lodging house. He, Specs, and Race were trying to help the injured kids and calm down the crying ones. Some of the other older boys were also trying to help but they all looked exhausted and most of them seemed to not even have the energy to rise from their bunks. Katherine wasn’t sure she had ever seen somebody look as overwhelmed as Davey currently did. 

She approached him when he was talking to Race, figuring it was better than waiting until he was helping a kid again.

“I don't know, Race,” he said. “I’m…I’m going to try but…” Davey inhaled sharply and Race put a hand on his bicep.

“It’s okay, Davey. I know you’re trying.” He walked away.

Katherine saw Davey pinch the bridge of his nose in a way that suggested he was holding back tears.

“Davey?” 

He spun around. 

“Oh, Ms. Plumber. Are you okay? I’m sorry, I should have asked if you were injured.” He looked guilty. 

“No! No, I’m fine, Davey, I just wanted to see how I can help.” 

“Oh. Um…I’m not sure that you can.”

“Well, what do you have to do? Maybe I can help with that,” she said. Much to her dismay, he looked shocked by her offer. 

“I’m…aren’t you supposed to stay out of it?”

“I am. This isn’t the strike right now, I’m just with a bunch of injured kids who happen to be striking.”

Davey chuckled humorously. 

“Okay. Thank you. I really appreciate it.”

“Of course.”

“I…I’m trying to get them all food but I’m not sure how. Mr. Kloppman - he runs the lodging house - he’s not making anybody pay for dinner tonight but not this many kids are usually here or buy it so he doesn’t have half as much as we need. I’m…Jack keeps an emergency fund but it’s not enough and I don’t know what to do.” He looked desperate and helpless.

“Hey, it’s going to be okay, Davey.”

“I have to figure out how to treat the injured kids too. Some of them should really see doctors but they  _ can’t.  _ And…and…” he trailed off and looked directly in her eyes. “Why am  _ I  _ in charge? I’ve been a newsie for less than a week! Race is Jack’s second and…I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, I get that he’s helping, but I don’t understand why I’m in control. Why?” 

“They see you as a responsible person.” 

“But I’m not! I’m just as lost as the rest of them!”

“Yeah, but they don’t know that. Here, why don’t you sit down for a minute?” She tried to take his arm and lead him to the old couch but he shook his head. 

“No, there’s no time.”

“Then let me help you.”

He bit his lip contemplatively for a moment. 

“Could you…do you know anything about first aid?”

“A little bit. I have younger siblings.” 

Davey exhaled amusedly. 

“That’ll do it. Would you be able to check on some of the younger boys? Most of them are just bruised or have scrapes from falling that need cleaning. If you ask Specs he’ll get you some rags and water.” 

She nodded. 

“Of course.”

“Thank you, Ms. Plumber.” 

“Katherine,” she corrected. She got a weak smile in return. 

“Katherine.”

“Davey. Davey. Davey!” Katherine ended up shaking his arm to bring him out of his catatonic state. He was sitting on a bunk and the little kid he was helping a minute ago had gotten up, but he remained, staring off into space.

“Hmm? Oh, Katherine. Sorry. What do you need?”

“Nothing except for you to get some rest.”

“What? No, there’s still stuff to be done.”

“Like what? All the kids are treated and most of them are asleep, even some of the older ones.”

“We have to talk about finding Jack, and helping Crutchie, and how we’re going to proceed. I…fuck, we still have to get food for them for when they wake up.”

“Let others handle it.”

“I can’t.” He shook his head. “Race asked me to be in charge so I have to be.”

Katherine sighed. 

“At least come sit on the couch. The other boys who are awake are over there.”

“Okay.” 

“Where’s your brother? Les, right?” 

Davey nodded. 

“Yeah. I took him home.”

“What? When?”

“Right from the distribution center.” He stood up with a cringe. 

“Davey, are you hurt besides your face? Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I’m fine. I fell, it’s just from that.”

She was skeptical but decided not to push. They walked over to the couch area where the boys were spread out on the couch, the few chairs and the floor. He rested his hands on the arm of the couch and put his weight on them.

“Take my spot, Davey,” Mush said, standing from the couch. 

“What? No, that’s okay.” 

“You need it more than I do.”

“I’m okay standing.” 

Katherine disagreed and it seemed the boys did too. All of them ordered him onto the couch between Race and Albert. He only relented when Mush put his hands on his shoulders and physically led him there. Davey looked at her. 

“Katherine, you should sit, I’m fine.” 

“I’m not injured.” She sat down on the floor next to Specs.” 

“But-”

“What, because I’m a girl I can’t sit on the floor? Seriously, this isn’t the time for chivalry.” 

He nodded reluctantly. 

“Okay. What’s the plan?” 

“Let’s wait and regroup in the morning,” Specs said. “It’s not like we could sell tonight even if we wanted to.” The others nodded. Davey didn’t seem happy but he didn’t argue either.

“Fine. What about food?”

The others looked at each other tensely.

“Kloppman said he can feed twenty but there’s fifty-two kids here total.”

“All right. I…I’m sorry, but I have to get food for my siblings and parents first but then I can buy for…” Davey was quiet for a moment, probably doing math. “I can probably afford four others. Five, if we spread it out more.”

“I can do two,” Finch said.

“Is that including yourself?”

“Three, including myself.” 

“Good. Seriously, all of you have to make sure you eat first, got it?” Nobody said anything. “Got it?” 

“Fine.”

“Okay.”

“Yep.”

“Thank you. So that’s twenty-eight.”

Katherine sat and listened to them try to figure it out, feeling like she should say something. She could pay for food for all of them but she didn’t want to compromise her journalistic integrity more than she already had. There was only so much she could ethically do. 

Then again, she had to consider if her ethics as a journalist outweighed her ethics as a person. She decided to wait and see. Katherine wouldn’t let anyone go hungry but she would let them pay for what they could. Still, she felt a guilty pit in her stomach.

“No, Romeo, it’s okay,” Davey said as she zoned back in. “That goes for all of you. If you can’t afford it then say so.” 

“Sorry, Davey. I don’t even have enough for myself,” Sniper admitted. 

“Don’t be sorry. We’ve got enough food for thirty-eight people, and that’s pretty impressive.”

“How do we get enough for fourteen more?” JoJo asked.

“I…I can go to Mr. Jacobi and see if he’ll let me pay him back later or work it off,” Davey said. “If someone who he knows better wants to join me just to ask him that would be great. I’ll handle the payment.” 

“Davey, you’re not doing it by yourself,” Mush said. “That ain’t fair.”

“No. I got us into this mess.” The boys all protested. “No, I did! I’ll figure it out. If anyone has any better ideas I’m happy to hear them but I don’t think we do. How much is a meal at Jacobi’s usually?” 

“About a nickel.”

Davey looked pained. Katherine couldn’t imagine what it was like to be so poor that you needed to work off seventy cents. God, how could her father be so selfish? These were children! He would never accept it if someone did this to  _ his  _ kids so why were these kids any different?

“All right, that’s fine,” Davey said, even though it clearly wasn’t. “Specs, when you said fifty-two, were you including the kids who don’t stay here too?”

“Yeah. You’re eating here, right?”

“No, I’ll eat at home.” 

Except he wouldn’t. Katherine knew that face. It was the same face she wore when she told her mother that she, Darcy, and Bill were going for a late dinner with friends when they were really going to Darcy’s apartment to get wine drunk because she knew it would upset her and it was the same face she wore when she told her boss that his wife was lovely even though she was the rudest person she had ever met. He was lying to protect the feelings of others. When he had said he was feeding his parents and his siblings, that was exactly what he meant - not himself. 

“Then it’s fifty-one.” 

“Great. I’ll go down to Jacobi’s now and see what he says.” 

“I’ll join you,” Katherine said and stood up. “I don’t know him well but I’ve been there for lunch a few times.” 

Davey nodded.

“You go to Jacobi’s for lunch?”

“I have once or twice. It’s near my office, so…”

“Yeah.” He kicked a rock as they walked.

“Davey, let me buy the food.”

“What? No. That’s very generous but we can’t put you out like that.”

“Davey-”

“No! It’s a lot of money and I can’t ask someone who isn’t even responsible for us to do that. I’m not going to let you potentially go hungry because of us.”

She stood awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Katherine didn’t want to lie but she didn’t want to make Davey feel embarrassed either. He seemed to notice her expression and he blushed again. “Oh. Sorry. I should’ve…I mean, not that you look poor or anything - not that poor people look a certain way, I just meant that you dress nice, and your hair is always perfect - we’ve only met twice, but both times and…and - yeah, I’m going to stop talking now.” 

Katherine giggled and (unfortunately for her) snorted. Davey looked at her but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. 

“I’m sorry,” he said after a moment. “I really shouldn’t have made any assumptions about you.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Davey.” Katherine laid her free hand on his bicep and held it. Davey’s eyes jumped to it and then quickly returned up. “My family has money and I want to use it for this. Please?”

Davey sighed.

“I can’t let you pay for all of them. You’ll compromise your journalistic integrity.” 

Katherine smiled. She hadn’t expected anyone but her to be thinking about that. 

“Okay. Just the fourteen you guys can’t.”

“It’s thirteen,” he reminded her. 

“No, it really isn’t. You’re a bad liar, Davey, and you need to eat.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve gone without food for a night before, it’s really not that big a deal.” 

Her heart twinged and she found herself gripping him a little tighter. 

“It’s a big deal to me. We’ll talk to Mr. Jacobi and then you’ll sit and eat.”

“I have to-”

“They can survive on their own for an extra twenty minutes. It’s not like all that food is going to be ready anyway. Okay?”

He sighed and nodded. 

“Thank you. It’s really kind. I’ll pay you back when I have the money, I promise.”

“Please don’t.”

Jacobi agreed to make the meals and told Davey to bring some other boys to come back later to help carry them. He even agreed to let them use his dishes if they promised to bring them back the next day. Katherine asked if they could have something to eat and ordered Davey a soup and a half sandwich. 

“You really didn’t need to order both. Just one would have been more than enough for me,” he said as they sat down. Katherine rolled her eyes. 

“Don’t be silly.” She looked at his hand where it lay on the table. “Davey, your hand.”

“What?”

“It’s shaking.” 

“Oh.” He glanced down. “Just tired, I guess. I’m fine.” He avoided further questioning because Mr. Jacobi brought them the food. Katherine watched as he ate. It was different than seeing her friends and family eat. When they had meals, it was relaxed and casual and there was nothing special about it. When Davey ate, he ate slowly and carefully, savoring the food and trying to make the meal last as long as he could. He made satisfied noises as he went (that were definitely not at  _ all  _ adorable, nope, not even a little). 

Katherine stopped being entertained by it after a minute though. She realized the reason he was eating as if it was his last meal was probably because he didn’t have any idea when he would eat again. He was on strike now and she didn't know how he was going to buy food.

“Thank you so much,” he said after a minute or two. “I really, really appreciate it.”

“I…yeah, no problem. Any time.” 

“I never have meals this big so it’s…” he trailed off and blushed suddenly, as if realizing what he had said. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” 

It hurt to hear that. A soup and a half sandwich shouldn’t be a treat, it should be the kind of thing Davey could have whenever he wanted. He was skinny, certainly, but she hadn’t considered the idea that it could be due to lack of food more than anything else. Come to think of it, most of the newsies were pretty skinny.

She cleared her throat awkwardly. “So it’s good?”

“Yeah, it’s great, thanks,” he said with a nod. “Sorry that I’m taking so long. I’ll be ready to go in a minute.”

Katherine smiled softly at him. 

“Take your time.”

  
  


“Katherine! Katherine!” Katherine turned around and saw Davey running through the crowded street, trying his best not to knock over any pedestrians. 

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” 

“Sorry, ma’am!” He swiveled his head around to apologize as he worked his way towards her. 

“Katherine! Wait!”

“Davey? What’s wrong?” she asked. “Are you hurt? Did you find Jack?” 

“Wh- no, I’m fine. I just…” David sighed and handed her the paper he was holding. She looked down at it and then back up at him, confused. 

“Why are you handing me the paper I just gave you?” 

“I didn't read it before and now I have.”

“Is there something wrong with it?”

He picked his cap up and ran his hand through his hair.

“You talked about me.”

“Okay?” 

“I’m not the leader, Jack is.”

“I talked about him too.” 

“Yeah, but then why’d you have to talk about me at all?” He sounded frustrated and Katherine was suddenly very aware of the fact that they were standing on a busy street corner, people passing by them on their way to work. 

“Davey, I’m sorry, I don’t understand what the issue is.”

“It wasn’t important to talk about me!”

“Why not? You and Jack started the strike and you’re the vice president of the union.”

He paled. 

“I’m the what?” 

Katherine couldn’t help but laugh. Davey looked upset and she tried to suppress it but she just couldn’t. 

“Did you not know? I asked Jack and he said you’re the vice president.”

“I’m…no, I’m not.”

“Then who is?”

“I don’t know! Race? Crutchie? Not me!” 

“Davey,” she said softly, touching his arm, “why are you so upset by this?”

“Because…it’s hard to explain but it’s too late now anyway. Never mind. Sorry to bother you.” He turned away from her but she grabbed his wrist. 

“What’s wrong? Seriously, if I did something wrong you have to tell me so that I don’t do it again.” 

David shook his head.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters! Why don’t we go somewhere a little less crowded and we can talk about this, okay?”

“No, I have to get my brother and go look for Jack.”

“Well, then let’s do it together.”

“You don’t have to do that,” he assured her. 

“I’m in this with you guys now, okay? One hundred percent.” 

He nodded reluctantly. 

“Okay.”

“Great. Where should we look?”

“I told the guys I’d look for him at Medda’s - the Bowery, I mean. She owns a theater there.”

“I’ve met her. All right, let’s go get your brother.”

“Yeah. He’s back at Jacobi’s with a couple of the boys.” He started walking but Katherine stood still. He stopped and looked at her. “I thought you were coming.”

“What, you’re not going to offer me your arm, like a gentleman?”

“I-I…I’m not- I- sorry,” he spluttered and blushed. Katherine laughed.

“I’m just teasing.” 

“Oh. Okay.” He walked back to her and offered his arm anyway.

“So why are you so upset about the article?” 

David sighed and looked down for a second. He almost bumped into an elderly woman and Katherine had to try really hard not to laugh again. He kept his eyes up after that. 

“It’s not that…it’s a good story, Katherine, it really is. I mean it, you’re an excellent writer.”

“But?”

“But I would’ve preferred not to be mentioned. It’s my fault, I should’ve told you beforehand.”

“You made a speech that got other kids to join your side. Your words are the reason yesterday worked even a little.”

“Also the reason why Crutchie’s in jail.”

“Hey! That’s not your fault, all right?” 

“I-“

“All right?” she repeated sternly. He sighed but nodded. 

“All right.”

“My point is, it would have been weird not to include you. You’re a big part of the story, Davey. Why didn’t you want your name in there?”

Katherine watched as Davey chewed on his lip. He seemed to not even realize he was doing it. She wished he wasn’t so nervous but she couldn’t help but find it endearing. 

“I want to go back to school.”

“Back? Sorry, I just don’t know you all that well and I’m-”

“No, it’s okay. Yeah, my dad got injured on the job and so my siblings and I needed to go to work. If he finds work again then we’ll go back to school.” 

“Siblings? Not just Les?”

“I have a sister too.”

“Yeah? Does she sell too?”

“No, Sarah got a job at a factory. It’s more consistent, you know?”

“Tell me about school,” she said. “What does that have to do with being in the paper?”

“I’m not exactly popular at my school. I’ve got…I go to a school with people who really don’t like me for a bunch of reasons and no one else has ever had to leave because they needed to work. I was already going to be mocked when I go back and this is just going to make it worse.”

“You’re embarrassed to be a newsie?”

“No.”

“Then why-”

“Because the things they mock me for aren’t always embarrassing.”

“Oh.” She didn’t ask any questions because she had a feeling she wouldn’t enjoy the answer, no matter what it ended up being. “Well, I’m sorry. I won’t mention you in the future if it’s going to hurt you.”

“Don’t be sorry; it’s not your fault. And if you want to mention me again, you can. Might as well, right?”

“Right.” Katherine smiled. She meant to take her eyes away but they seemed locked on Davey’s face. He was just so…handsome. She tried to think of a better word but couldn’t (and wasn’t willing to contemplate what that meant for her skills as a writer). She snapped herself out of it. “So you think he’s at the Bowery?” 

  
  


“Davey! Wait a minute please.” Katherine grabbed Davey’s arm as they made to exit the theater and pulled him into an alcove. 

“What’s wrong?” He looked at her with concern. 

“David, are you coming?” Les shouted. 

“He’ll be there in a minute, Les! I’m just borrowing him.” 

“Why are you borrowing me?”

Katherine hadn’t let go of his arm but he didn’t pull away. This was stupid. She never did this and she told herself that there was a reason for it. Katherine had been flirted with by plenty of guys in her life. Most of them, however, just wanted to marry a Pulitzer. 

It wasn’t like there weren’t guys she was interested in before, but this felt different. Usually, she developed crushes after she knew a guy for a long time and by then she never thought it was worth ruining a friendship over. The first real conversation she had had with Davey was only a day ago but she already wanted to kiss him.

Was it a bad idea? Probably. Was she going to do it anyway? Probably. It wasn’t like everything she had done in the past week or so wasn’t crazy anyway. 

“Hello?” Davey called her attention back to the present. “Katherine, is everything okay?” She nodded. “Are you sure? You don’t seem very sure.”

“I’m sure, Davey.” 

“Okay? Then what’s happening?”

“Nothing, I just…” She took a moment to look at him and realized that what she was doing was unfair and selfish. So much was going on right now that he didn’t have the time to think about her. Christ, he was suddenly responsible for feeding his family and co-organizing a strike. And even assuming that he was interested in Katherine, this wasn’t the time for her to have this discussion with him. “Nothing.”

Davey frowned and looked like he was about to say something but he was interrupted before he could even begin. 

“Dave! Let’s go! Your brother’s getting antsy!” Jack yelled.

“He really means  _ he’s  _ getting antsy,” Davey told her. She laughed. 

“I heard that!”

She found Davey with his head in his hands and elbows on his knees, sitting on a staircase backstage. Les was absent. She sat down on the step above him and said nothing. Katherine had no idea if he noticed her presence or not but she waited anyway.

After a while, he inhaled and said, “I’m an idiot.”

“What? No, you’re not.” Katherine slid down to sit next to him. “Why would you say that?” 

He picked his head up and looked at her. 

“I can’t believe I thought this would work.” 

“We all thought it would. And I don’t think all hope is lost. It’s obvious that everyone else is united and once we get Jack back-”

“I don’t mean the rally!” he said. “I mean the strike.” 

“What? Davey, the strike is going to work,” she tried to assure him but he just shook his head. 

“No. No.” Davey stood up and started pacing in front of her. “We’re going to have to give in soon and…fuck! Fuck Jack!” Katherine remained silent, thinking it best to let him vent. “Fuck him for making me believe in him and I know this isn’t the point but fuck him for making me look like an idiot! He promised me I wouldn’t have to be the one to speak!”

“You did a really good job, Davey. I’m sure if he had let you keep-”

“I sounded ridiculous! But…” He deflated completely. “But that doesn’t matter anymore. It’s over.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why not? Why shouldn’t I? Without Jack there is no more strike! The newsies need a leader who knows what he’s doing.”

“Nobody knows what they’re doing! This is brand new and none of us know how to do it but the newsies have been following you most of the strike. This is the second time he’s disappeared.” 

“You can be the leader then.”

“I’m happy to help but they need a newsie to lead them. You know that.”

Davey shook his head decisively. 

“No, I’m not- I can’t be the one to do it. If they still want to then fine but it isn’t going to be me. Race can do it.”

“Davey, you know I like Race but he isn’t going to be able to do it like you would.”

“You saw him the other day in Jacobi’s! He gave everyone hope again without them even realizing what he was doing.”

“And I saw  _ you  _ speaking the first day of the strike. I saw  _ you  _ organize a citywide rally! You’re their de facto leader now! You shook hands with Spot Conlon, which I’m told is a pretty big deal.” Davey scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Why can’t you listen to yourself and seize the day? Isn’t that what you said?”

“Because there’s nothing to seize anymore! The day’s over.”

“So we start again tomorrow.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

“I do.” Katherine stood up and went to him. Davey didn’t pull away when she put a hand on his shoulder and she took that as a good sign. “You need to have more faith in yourself. Let’s go find the others and-”

“No.” He shook her off. “No, I’m sorry, Katherine, but I’m finding Les and going home.”

“But-”

“It’s what I should have done as soon as the rally ended. I’m not a strike leader - I’m a brother and a son and that’s my responsibility right now.”

“Davey, stop. You have to be more rational about-”

“Good night, Ms. Plumber.” He kissed her cheek and left. 

She watched him walk away. Katherine knew that unless she had a solid plan nothing was going to convince him.

  
  


“Oh, and if I were a boy you’d be looking at me through one swollen eye!”

“Oh yeah, don’t let that stop you, huh? Give me your best shot!” 

Katherine pulled her fist back and punched Jack as hard as she could. 

“Fuck!” he screamed and fell to the ground. Katherine shook out her hurt hand, hissing in pain. “What the fuck, Katherine?”

She shrugged. 

“You said I could hit you.”

“Yeah, but I didn’t think you would! Or that it would hurt that much! Jesus, you can pack a punch.”

“Thank you.” 

“At least help me up, would ya?” She begrudgingly extended the hand she hadn’t hit him with and he pulled himself up. “Thanks.”

“Yeah.” She paused and looked at him regretfully. Maybe it was wrong to punch him. She was quickly learning that she knew a lot less about the hardships people her age went through and she had no idea what Jack’s life was like. “I…I need to know that you didn’t cave for the money.”

Jack exhaled sharply and turned around. 

“No, I spoke the truth. You win a fight when you got the other fella down eating pavement,” he explained sadly. “All right, you heard your father. No matter how many days we strike he ain’t never giving up. I don’t…I don’t know what else we can do!”

“Ah, but I do,” she told him, excited.

“Oh come on.”

“Really, Jack, really? Only you can have a good idea? Or is it because I’m a girl?”

“Oh, I did not say nothing about-”

“This would be a good time to shut up,” Katherine suggested (ordered, really). “Being boss doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers, just the brains to recognize the right one when you hear it.” She took the paper out of her pocket.

“I’m listening,” Jack said, sounding beyond exasperated.

“Good for you. The strike was your idea, the rally was Davey’s, and now my plan will take us to the finish line.” He took it from her. “Deal with it.”

“The Children’s Crusade?”

Katherine explained it to him and was pleased that he couldn’t help but admit that it was a good idea - risky, but good. Jack figured out that they could use the printing press in the The World building’s cellar.

“Let’s go,” Jack said. “If we’re going to get this done by morning we need to get started.” She followed him down the firescape but hesitated when they reached the street. “What?”

“Where does Davey live?” 

“What, he ain’t at the lodging house with the others?” 

Katherine rolled her eyes. 

“No, Jack, believe it or not he didn’t hang around waiting for you to come to your senses.”

“Oh.”

“Besides, I’m pretty sure Les was crying when I saw him and he had to get him home.”

“Well, we ain’t gonna be able to do this without him.” 

“Agreed. We just have to convince  _ him _ of that.” 

“What do you mean?”

“He’s lost hope, Jack. He doesn’t think the strike’s going to work.”

“Why?” 

“Because you abandoned him! Twice!”

“I didn’t mean to-”

“I know that and you know that but he doesn’t,” she explained. “Come on, we have to go get him and you have to apologize.” He started to protest but she shut him up with a single look. 

“Well, then you go get those friends of yours you mentioned and I’ll go.”

“We should go together.”

“Why?” 

Because she wanted to make sure he was okay. Because she wanted to see his face when he started thinking they could win again. Because she wanted to see him. Jack was right though. They didn’t have time for both of them to go to Davey and it was more important that he did. Reluctantly, Katherine conceded. 

“You’re right. I’ll meet you there in an hour.” 

“Good luck.”

“What the hell, Katherine? It’s almost one in the morning.” Bill did  _ not  _ look happy to see her. 

“Hey!” She pointed to Darcy behind her. “He’s here too, be mad at him!” 

“He looks like you dragged him out of bed.”

“She did,” Darcy said with a perfectly timed yawn. Katherine glared at him. 

“What’s going on?”

“Get dressed and we’ll explain on the way.” 

“Come inside and explain to me while I get dressed. I want to know what I’m getting myself into.” He walked away and left the door open for them. “So how illegal is whatever we’re about to do?” Bill asked from beyond his closed bedroom door. 

“Only slightly,” Katherine promised. “We’re sneaking into The World building’s cellar and printing something.”

“Is this about the strike?” 

“Yes. We want to shut down the city all together. Not just the newsies, but every working kid.”

“I’m in,” he said without hesitation. “I’m assuming Davey is going to be there?” 

“What? How do you know Davey?” 

Darcy snorted from his place on the couch.

“You mentioned him at least five times yesterday. It’ll be nice to meet the guy who gave Katherine Pulitzer herself writer’s block.”

“I don’t have writer’s block.”

“Speaker’s block, then,” Bill amended Darcy’s statement as he opened the door. “You kept having trouble describing him.”

“Stop talking, both of you. We need to go. I told Jack we’d be there in an hour and that was forty minutes ago.” 

“Yes, well, we wouldn’t want to be late to meet Davey.” 

She punched Bill’s arm. 

“Ow! What was that for? Darcy’s the one who said it!”

“You enjoyed it more than he did.”

  
  


“Katherine!” 

“Davey?” She was about to leave to go to the governor but was stopped by a gentle hand on her wrist. “Is everything okay?” 

“Yeah, just…” He kissed her on the cheek. “Good luck.”

“Y-you too.” He turned away with a smile. Behind her, Bill and Darcy laughed quietly. “I hate you both.” 

  
  


After Jack came outside to tell them that they had won, the newsies bought their papers and took a few minutes to chat and celebrate Crutchie’s return. Most of them didn’t really have time to, but the energy in the air was invigorating and people wanted to be with their friends. Les was talking excitedly to JoJo about something and Katherine took the opportunity to approach Davey, who was counting his papers. 

“So, Mr. Jacobs, how are you planning on celebrating your big victory?” 

He looked up at her and smiled, though it seemed a little forced. 

“I’m going to sell and then go buy food from the grocer’s. Fun, huh?” 

“Very. Well, when you’re done with that, I’m taking the boys down to Jacobi’s for dinner this evening. Want to join? I’m buying.”

Davey shook his head regretfully. 

“I’d like to but I can’t. Thanks though.” 

“Oh. Okay.” Could he actually not come or was she being obvious and this was his way of letting her down easy?

“Sorry, I just haven’t had any time to get chores done in a while.”

“Chores? You just won a strike and you’re going to do chores while everyone else celebrates?” 

Davey huffed, apparently annoyed, and put his bag on forcefully. 

“Yes, chores. Sorry if that doesn’t work for you, Ms. Pulitzer.” 

“What did  _ I _ do? Why are you so upset with me? Is it about my father? Because you weren’t that-”

“It’s not about your father.”

“Then what is it about?”

“You led me on!” he exclaimed. Davey looked around them and then repeated himself more quietly. “You led me on and you made me think you liked me and then you kissed Jack.”

She sputtered incredulously.

“I kissed Jack on the cheek! Are you serious right now?” 

“You’re allowed to kiss whomever you want, Katherine,” he said dismissively and started to walk towards Les. 

“Hey! Would you listen to me? I kissed Jack on the cheek! Who told you we kissed? Did Jack? I swear to-”

“No! Not Jack!” 

“Then who?” 

Davey looked down and picked at a thread on his bag. 

“Les,” he eventually admitted. Katherine laughed. “Hey! How was I supposed to know what he meant?”

“Whatever! I’m assuming this means you’re interested?”

“Interested? As in-”

Katherine didn't let him finish before she pulled him into a kiss, heedless of the fact that they were right in front of the distribution window. Davey didn’t freeze for even a second, and kissed her right back, his arms wrapping around her. He had one on her waist and one on her neck. She took the opportunity to draw him in closer, her hands going to his shoulder blades and the back of his head.

It was magical. It wasn’t her first kiss but she could tell it was his. That was okay though. He was excited and passionate about it and Katherine loved it. She felt warm inside and wanted time to stop and the moment to last forever.

“Guys!” Katherine heard someone yell, and she distantly thought it might have been Les, but she didn’t really care. Then, there was suddenly more yelling and she smiled into the kiss. Davey pulled away and rested his forehead on hers.

“So? Was that a better celebration than chores, Davey?”

“David.”

“What?”

“I’d- I’d prefer if you called me David.” 

Katherine smiled and kissed him again, but only briefly. As she ended the kiss he leaned in for more and she laughed at his eagerness.

“Jacobi’s then? Or are you still too busy?”

“No, I-”

“Davey!” Jack called. David let go of her and turned to him. “Want to do the honors?” Jack held out his hand and pulled him up onto the box.

“Newsies!” David yelled. “Hit the streets! The sun is up, the headline stinks, and I’ve got a date!”

Katherine smiled and when he smiled back, it felt like a new beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think. Come say hi to me/leave a prompt on tumblr! My url is @JewishDavidJacobs.


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